Analyzing Our Daily Lives: Part 3
by angelkittysmith
Summary: My friend, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie, join my other childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri for more discussions on different types of health, including emotional, environmental, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, and financial. NOTE: I do NOT own Liberty's Kids or iCarly. Nickelodeon and PBS Kids do.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Emotional Health

One chilly second Saturday in November 2017, I met my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland. One of my other friends, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie, also joined us. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Does anybody want anything to drink?" James asked. "Just a glass of orange juice, please," I requested. "Boy is it cold outside today," Mr. Benson remarked. "I am not thrilled about this," Mrs. Shay admitted. "Neither am I," Carly agreed. "As much as I love autumn, it can turn into a very moody and, at times, disappointing season." "I felt moody and disappointed when my old girlfriend from high school, Phillis broke up with me," James told us. "I don't blame you, James," Henri agreed. "I would feel that way, too." "This leads to our topic of the day, guys," I told everyone. "Emotional health." "So far, we have been learning about physical, mental, and social health," Sarah told Carly. "Do you guys know what emotional health is?" I asked my friends. "The ability to identify and control emotions and behavior," Sarah replied. "The ability to show resilience in troubling situations," James added. "The ability to build strong and lasting relationships," Henri chimed in. "Good," I remarked. "Now, why is it important to be able to identify and control our emotions?" "In order to be healthy and not self-destruct things," Henri replied. "So you don't say things you don't mean," James answered. "In order to make a good impression on people," Sarah added. "To maintain friendships," Carly added. "You could hurt people both physically and mentally," Mrs. Shay answered. "Mr. Benson, do you think this is easy to do?" I asked. "No, because it is hard to identify and control them," Mr. Benson replied. "What gets in the way of us being able to realize how we are feeling?" I asked. "I would say feeling too many things at once." "Sometimes you are overwhelmed by a feeling," Henri pointed out. "Social expectations, like showing emotions as a sign of weakness or feeling embarrassed," James added. "Your relationship with the other person, like being upset with a parent and asking 'Should I feel this way?'" Sarah replied. "What gets us in the way of being able to control our emotions?" I asked Carly and her parents. "I would say the power of the feeling when you are overloaded and cannot switch gears." "Not being able to identify your feelings," Mr. Benson pointed out. "Highly stressful situations," Mrs. Shay added. "Impulsitivity," Carly replied. "How could I increase my emotional intelligence, guys?" I asked. "You could practice observing how you feel by taking time in your day to notice your feelings and trying to determine where those feelings came from," Sarah told me. "You could reflect on how you respond to your feelings, as this helps identify your strengths and weaknesses, both of which are important to understand," James added. "Write in a journal," Mrs. Shay added. "Take deep breaths," Carly added. "Talk to friends, family, and/or health care providers," Henri chimed in. "Practice mindfulness," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Nice, Mr. Benson," I agreed. "Mindfulness is the ability to know what is going on in your head without getting carried away by it. It can also help us increase our emotional intelligence by thinking more clearly. Any other ways?" "It can get us out of sticky situations," Mr. Benson replied. "It allows us to plan more and to take the best course of action," Mrs. Shay added. "It also helps us make better decisions," Carly added. Carly and her parents had an Emotions Exercise for us to do. I talked about how to turn nervousness into courage, by taking outings in the cold weather and showing bravery. "Now, let's talk about resilience," I told my friends. "Resilience is defined as the ability to bounce back from life's hardships. Do you know why it is important?" "When things can or do go wrong, but if you can weather them you can thrive," Sarah pointed out. "You can continue to live a happy and healthy life," James added. "You can learn how to be flexible in certain situations," Henri chimed in. "Tell me about a time that you have been resilient," I instructed Carly and her parents. "When I was 14 years old, around the holidays, I had a lot of things to do, but was unable to do them all, and I was okay with that," Carly told me. "That same time, I walked the dogs and a groundhog bit me, and I was able to calmly call for help," Mr. Benson told me. "On Thanksgiving Day, I was reading the wrong recipe for a pumpkin pie, so I problem solved by baking an apple pie instead," Mrs. Shay told me. "Good," I remarked. "Now, how can I increase my resilience?" "Try, fail, learn, and try again because it is okay to fail since failure teaches us," Sarah told me. "Think about things that helped cope in the past," James added. "Think about good things in your life," Carly told me. "Think of solutions to the issues at hand," Mrs. Shay added. "Know your strengths and be okay with not doing everything perfectly," I pointed out. "Practice mindfulness," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Talk to family, friends, and/or a health care provider," Henri chimed in. Carly and her parents also had a strengths exercise by making a collage of our strengths. Since Thanksgiving was coming up, I made a collage of my favorite comfort foods. "Lastly, how can I build strong relationships?" I asked. "Don't take relationships for granted," Sarah told me. "See how you can help a friend in trouble," James added. "Spend time with those important people," Henri pointed out. "Communicate often," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Support their dreams," Mrs. Shay added. "Make your friendship a priority," Carly pointed out. "Limit expectations," Henri chimed in. "Listen," Mrs. Shay added. "Let things go," Carly replied. "Good job, guys," I praised. "Now, we do not have to be so moody and disappointed. Especially with you and Phillis, James." "I still feel bad that she can't come home for Thanksgiving this year," James told me. "Do you guys want to join me, Emily, and Erin for a sample Thanksgiving dinner in Shadyside?" I asked. "That's okay, Angel," Carly told me. "Maybe some other time." Pretty soon, it was time for me to leave. "Thanks for a great day, guys!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Environmental Health

One mild Saturday evening in November 2017, my childhood friends Sarah, James, and I met up with one of my other best friends, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie, at their house in Squirrel Hill. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Welcome, James," Mrs. Shay greeted all of us. "I made you all a very nice dinner." "Mmm, let's see what all there is to eat here," I remarked. "Grilled flank steak, potato wedges, spinach salad, and carrot cake for dessert." "We figured that since you were talking about healthy eating before, we would give making a healthy dinner a try," Carly told us. "Well, that was very nice of you, Carly," Sarah remarked. We sat down to eat dinner. "At lunchtime today, I was talking with Emily and her younger siblings about eating healthier," I informed my friends. "We were having our usual condiment lunch." "It also depends on the environment you are able to cook your food in," Sarah remarked. "You just lead us to our topic of the evening- environmental health!" "Environmental health?" Carly asked. "What is that?" "Well Carly, environmental health is defined as the ability to recognize our responsibility in making a positive impact on the quality of our environment, be it our homes, communities, or our planet," I explained. "Wow, I never knew that," Carly remarked. "Now, does anybody know why this is important?" "To make contributions to those around us," Mr. Benson replied. "Keeping the earth and our places clean helps our health," Mrs. Shay added. "The people you are around influence your health," Henri chimed in. "It will impact your performance and sleep," Sarah added. "Also, to fit in with those around you," James added. "Which was the case on the day we wore all black dress clothes to school, when we had to go to a black classroom filled with all black objects and attempted to fit in with the crowd." "Oh okay," I agreed. "So that was the reason that you guys wore all black clothes that day, not because you were performing in a concert or going to a funeral." "Correct, Angel," Sarah agreed. "Anyway, how does environmental health contribute to our overall health and wellness?" I asked. "It influences your performance and sleep," Sarah replied. "It can also create anxiety," James replied. "It can also influence whether others want to spend time in your environment," Henri chimed in. "People could trip over things," Carly added. "You can also get bad things in your food," Mrs. Shay added. "Let's not forget breathing issues and sinus problems," Mr. Benson added. "Good," I agreed with everyone. "Now, how can we help with global environmental health?" "I would reduce the amount of waste I contribute to by not buying as much, reusing jars, bottles, and bags, and recycling cans, bottles, paper, electrical goods, and food," Sarah replied. "I would plant a tree," James added. "I would turn uneaten food into compost," Henri chimed in. "I would hang my clothes outside to dry," Carly replied. "I would turn off my lights and other electronics when I am not using them," Mrs. Shay added. "I would use less chemical cleaners," Mr. Benson chimed in. "I would also walk, bike, or take public transportation," Carly replied. "I would also volunteer with a local agency that helps the environment," Sarah replied. "Now, those areal good ways to maintain global environmental health," I agreed. "Now, how would you maintain a healthy space, also known as personal environmental health?" "I would make sure the walls, windows, and furniture are in good repair with smoke detectors and radon and mold tests," Sarah replied. "I would rearrange my furniture for a new feeling by decluttering, since visual 'noise' increases stress, and a cluttered, dirty, or confusing environment can cause us to feel worried, sad, or helpless," Henri chimed in. "All right, Henri, but here is a tip for decluttering," James pointed out. "I would start with one small area by clearing a counter, de-cluttering a shelf, or organizing a drawer, as this will give you a sense of success to help you proceed and give you a place to look at when the chaos elsewhere is discouraging. Also, try to keep that area free from clutter from now on, and build on it by tackling one additional area at a time." "I would delight my senses by placing photos, artwork, objects with special meaning to me where I see them often, and, if I like the sound, adding a water element," Carly added. "I would enhance the light since daylighting, that is natural light, is associated with improved mood, enhanced morale, lower fatigue, and reduced eyestrain," Mrs. Shay pointed out, "so I would take advantage of any natural light I have or supplement it with a variety of light sources, such as a floor lamp." "I would bring nature in since studies show that even a short contact with nature can significantly reduce stress, reduce anger and fear, and increase pleasant feelings," Mr. Benson chimed in. "So if I have views of trees or other plants, or natural elements, I would place a comfortable chair where I can enjoy them, and I can also add indoor plants, aquariums, or art with a nature theme and get much of the same effect." After dinner and our discussion, Mrs. Shay had 2 related activities for us to do. One was a recycled aluminum cans craft, in which Carly, her parents, and I went outside and used spray paint to decorate the aluminum cans that we were drinking our soda from. Carly and I spray painted our cans red, Mrs. Shay spray painted her can gold, and Mr. Benson spray painted his can blue. The other activity was decluttering and rearranging the Shays' living room to make it look nicer. It felt a lot like stage crew for most people. "I remember at age 14 how important it was for me to always clean my room, even if I had other things to do," Carly pointed out. "Thanks for helping me with that, Mom and Freddie!" "You're welcome," Mrs. Shay replied. "Anytime," Mr. Benson agreed. After that, it was time for me, Sarah, James, and Henri to head back to their apartment in Oakland, as we had plans to see _Justice League_ the next day with more of my friends. Carly told me that her family already saw _Justice League_ at the Squirrel Hill Manor Theater earlier that day. "Thanks for a great dinner and evening, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Carly replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Intellectual and Spiritual Health

The last Saturday of November 2017 was mild when I visited my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland, along with one of my other friends, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie, as well as my best friend, Emily Mistle. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "We're going to end our meeting a little bit early today, guys," James informed us. "Why is that, James?" Mrs. Shay asked. "So we can go to the Milkshake Factory on the South Side to celebrate my birthday," Sarah added. "Oh right," Carly remembered. "Next Thursday is your birthday. Well, happy birthday, Sarah!" "Thanks, Carly," Sarah replied. "So, do you know where you're going from here, James?" Mrs. Shay asked. "Of course I do, Mrs. Shay," James replied. "I have been learning to drive a BMW ever since just before I turned 16 years old. As a matter of fact, I believe that the driving lessons improved my intellectual health!" "What is intellectual health?" Mrs. Shay asked. "Intellectual health is defined as active participation in scholastic, cultural, and community activities," I informed everybody. "Now, what do you guys think of when you think of intellectual health?" "What you think about," Carly replied. "How to keep yourself mentally awake," Mrs. Shay added. "Talking about the mind," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Okay," I agreed with everyone. "Now, why is maintaining your intellectual health important?" "We need to know more about the world around us," Emily replied. "It keeps us out of trouble," Sarah replied. "It helps us teach others," James added. "It also helps keep your mind sharp," Henri chimed in. "Good," I agreed with my friends. "What are some activities that you guys can do to increase your intellectual health?" "I read for fun," Henri replied. "I limit the time I spend looking at screens," James added. "I visit a museum," Sarah replied. "I listen to an informative podcast," Mr. Benson added. "I play a game," Mrs. Shay added. "I play an instrument, like my clarinet," Carly replied. "I journal," Emily replied. "I like to do a crossword or sudoku," I told my friends. "I also think it was very good how you decided to cut our meeting short so we could go out for Sarah's birthday, James. That is a good use of time management skills." "Yes, because time management is very important," James agreed, "and so is Sarah's birthday." "Do you guys have any general tips about time management for me?" "You should know your goals, as your daily plan should revolve around working on tasks and activities that directly relate to things that you need to do," Henri replied. "You should prioritize wisely, meaning looking at what goes into making up your day, where do your activities fit into these categories?" "Right, Sarah," Emily agreed. "There are important and urgent tasks, which must be done, and we need to do right away. Important, but not urgent, tasks appear important, but upon closer examination are not, and we must decide when to do them. Urgent, but not important, tasks make the most 'noise,' but when accomplished, have little or no lasting value, and we need to delegate these if possible. Tasks that are not urgent and not important are low-priority stuff that offer the illusion of 'being busy', and we should do them later." "I write down my three or four 'important and urgent' tasks that must be addressed today, and as I complete each one, I check it off my list, as this will provide me with a sense of accomplishment and can motivate me to tackle less essential items," Sarah pointed out. "You should just say no because you are the boss," James added. "If you have to decline a request in order to attend to what is truly important and urgent, do not hesitate to do so." "You should plan ahead," Mrs. Shay added. "The night before, at the end of the day, you should take 15 minutes to clear your desk and put together a list of the next day's most pressing tasks. It's a great decompression technique, and you'll feel better sitting down at a clean desk in the morning. Then, first thing in the morning, you should arrive a few minutes early and assemble your prioritized to-do list, as this may prove to be the most productive part of your day." "You should also eliminate distractions," Mr. Benson chimed in, "since your smartphone is extremely useful, but it is also addictive and among the most insidious time-wasters known to mankind." "Finally, you should take care of yourself by being sure to get plenty of sleep and exercise," Carly pointed out, "since an alert mind is a high-functioning mind and one that is less tolerant of time-wasting activities." Then, Mrs. Shay had a time management activity for us to do. First, we divided into two teams. Sarah, Carly, Emily, and I formed one team, while James, Henri, Mrs. Shay, and Mr. Benson formed another team. We all had 10 minutes to do these following tasks: do a lap around the room, create something for me to wear, such as a hat or tie, as well as find out something unique about each person on the team, sing a song together, make a paper airplane and throw it from one end of the room to another, get everyone in the room to sign a single piece of paper, count the number of pets owned by our group, assign a nickname to each member of the team, create name cards for each team member, make a tower out of the materials owned by our group, convince a member of another team to join us, name our team and come up with a slogan, re-create the sounds of the Amazon rainforest with the sounds of our voices, make a list of what our team wants out of the group, and finally, form a conga line and conga from one end of the room to another. "Our teams decided what tasks to do first by randomness, higher points, and in order of quickness," I stated. "Teamwork, compromise, flexibility, leadership, and taking turns were examples of group dynamics that came into play," Emily added. "Now, let's talk about spiritual health, which is defined as a personal matter involving one's own values and beliefs that provide purpose and meaning in our lives," I informed my friends. "Now, what do you guys think of when you think of spiritual health?" "Good vs. evil, like yin or yang," Sarah replied. "Religion," Emily added. "Soul," Carly added. "Feeling content," Mrs. Shay added. "Mindfulness and relaxation," James added. "Philosophical," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Logical," Henri chimed in. "Emily, does spiritual health mean we are talking about religion?" I asked Emily. "Not entirely," Emily answered. "What are some ways to increase your spiritual health?" I asked my friends. "By helping out and giving back," Sarah replied. "By avoiding toxic people and foods," Henri chimed in. "By making meaningful relationships," James added. "With tranquility and not being in a tempered mood," Emily answered, "by mindfulness, meditation, taking deep breaths, walking away, compromise, and acceptance." "By prayer and going to a religious ceremony," Mr. Benson chimed in. "By kind thoughts towards myself and others, also known as positive reframing," Carly replied. "By reaching out and talking to others," Mrs. Shay added. She also had a spiritual health activity, as our religious faith, values, beliefs, principles, and morals defined our spirituality, so we ended up interviewing each other to learn a little more about ourselves and each other. I paired up with Carly for the interview. Of the things we possessed, I valued my wardrobe the most, while she valued her education. An important turning point in our lives for both of us was high school, although Carly's freshman year in particular, since she was learning her way around the school and new skills that she had never learned before. The relationship we have prized most in our lives was, of course, our relationship with each other, as well as with our other friends. Friendship and teamwork were both leading virtues that defined how we would like to look back at this time in our lives. After the activity was done, we went to the Milkshake Factory. Emily had an espresso shake, I had a milk chocolate-almond shake, Sarah had a strawberries and waffles milkshake, Carly had a regular strawberry milkshake, James had a Peppermint Brownie Fudge Milkshake, Mrs. Shay had a regular brownie fudge milkshake, Henri had a cookies and cream milkshake, and Mr. Benson had a mint cookies and cream milkshake. After we drank our milkshakes, it was time for me and Emily to catch our bus. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Occupational and Financial Health

One mild Saturday in early December 2017, I met up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland, along with one of my other best friends, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie, as well as my other best friend, Emily Mistle. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "Would you ladies like anything to drink?" James offered us. "Angel and I would both like a soda," Emily replied. James got Emily and me our sodas. "I have some exciting news for you guys," I told my friends. "What is that?" Carly asked. "I got a job at the Goodwill in Lawrenceville," I announced. "That's great, Angel," Carly remarked. "I just got another job, too, at Boutique La Passerelle in downtown Pittsburgh. It's a clothing store." "Since we are talking about jobs, that leads to our topic of the day- occupational health!" I announced. "What is occupational health?" Sarah asked me. "Occupational health is defined as the ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure time, addressing workplace stress, and building relationships with co-workers," I explained. "What are some ways to avoid occupational hazards?" "Be positive at work," Sarah replied. "Offer to help others at work," James added. "Don't spread rumors," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Talk to your friends or family but not those at work about work issues," Carly replied. "Talk to management if you have big issues at work," Mrs. Shay added. "Take time to think about situations that arise, but do not act right away," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Take proper safety precautions based on where you are working," Henri chimed in. "Be proactive when you see issues arising like cleaning or helping without being asked but do not hover," James added. "Ask for feedback and advice," Sarah replied. "Good," I agreed with my friends. "Now, what other dimensions of health does occupational health influence and why?" "Your financial health," Emily answered. "Your social health," Sarah replied. "Your mental health," James added. "Your emotional health," Henri chimed in. "Okay," I agreed. "Now, why is it important to achieve occupational health?" "So you do not get fired from a job, and it keeps you financially secure," Emily answered. "It builds your reputation as a good employee," Carly replied. "It makes you feel good and increases your confidence," Mrs. Shay added. "It avoids burnout," Mr. Benson chimed in. "All right," I replied. "Can you guys tell me some signs of occupational health?" "Doing work that you find motivating and interesting," Sarah replied. "Understanding how to balance leisure with work," Henri chimed in. "Working in a way that fits into your personal learning style," James added. "Communicating and collaborating with others," Emily answered. "Working independently and with others," Mrs. Shay replied. "Feeling inspired and challenged," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Feeling good at the end of the day about the work you accomplished," Carly replied. "Okay," I replied. "Now, what are some ways to improve your occupational wellness?" "Don't settle and keep motivated to work towards what you want," Sarah replied. "Increase your skills and knowledge to advance your occupational wellness goals," James answered. "Find the benefits and positives in your current job," Henri chimed in. "Create connections with your co-workers," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Avoid overworking yourself and find a work and life balance," Mrs. Shay added. "Enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy," Carly replied. "Write out your occupational goals and create a plan to reach them, and then start working the plan," Emily answered. "I would talk to a career counselor if I feel stuck and know myself so I can discuss accommodations with Human Relations or my supervisor," I pointed out. I paused for a second. "Now, how would I ask for on the job accommodations?" "First, decide if you feel disclosing your diagnosis is something you want to do, like what are the pros and cons, and will this improve your workplace wellness," Mr. Benson replied. "Then, if you choose to disclose, decide when the right time to do that is, like during the interview phase, or waiting until you are hired on, or when there is an issue," Mrs. Shay pointed out. "Finally, have a script ready, like how I have been successful in the past was to work from a written list instead of verbal instructions or how I have been successful in the past was to remove any unnecessary distractions, like typing reports in an office away from the reception area, and then finishing this part of the conversation by asking if that was something they could do for me," Carly suggested. "Can you guys think of some sample on the job accommodations?" I asked. "Providing advance notice of topics to be discussed in meetings to help facilitate communication," Sarah replied. "Allowing employees to bring an advocate to performance reviews and disciplinary meetings," James added. "Providing structured breaks to create an outlet for physical activity," Henri chimed in. "Providing a checklist of assignments," Carly replied. "Dividing large assignments into several small tasks," Mrs. Shay added. "Providing a checklist of assignments," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Allowing additional training time for new tasks," Sarah replied. "Relocating the employee's office space away from audible distractions," James added. "Reducing clutter in the employee's work environment," Henri chimed in. "Encouraging the employee to ask or e-mail work-related questions," Emily answered. "Giving assignments verbally, in writing, or both, depending on what would be most beneficial to the employee, like use of visual charts," I pointed out. I paused for a second. "Now, let's talk about financial health, which is defined as having an understanding of your financial situation (where your money is coming from and where it is going) and taking care of it in such a way that you are prepared for financial changes," I explained. "Now, what factors influence our financial health?" "Your job, including how often you work and how much you get paid," Sarah replied. "Your cost of living, like your bills, car repairs, fuel, and insurance, hobbies, and food," James added. "The size of your household, including your pet, partner, and child," Henri chimed in. "Your location," Carly replied. "Your debt," Mrs. Shay added. "Living within your means," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Good," I agreed. "Now, what are some areas related to financial health we want to improve on?" "How about making and following a budget?" Emily suggested. "That sounds like a great idea!" I exclaimed. "Can you guys tell me some signs of financial health?" "Learning how to manage your money and establishing a personal budget," Sarah replied. "Not living beyond your means," James added. "Learning to not let money be the driving force of your life," Henri chimed in. "Donating some of your money, if possible, to a cause you believe in," Carly replied. "Making a plan to pay back your student loans," Mrs. Shay added. "Not getting into credit card debt and trying to pay off the entire balance each month to avoid interest," Mr. Benson chimed in. "Thinking long term by setting up a savings account," Emily answered. "Good," I agreed with my friends. "Now, what are some ways to stretch my dollar?" "Cutting out and cutting back on costly habits and limiting music and app downloads," Henri replied. "Using free public transportation and going to free local events," James pointed out. "Comparison shopping online to find the best deals and shopping the sales rack or at thrift shops," Sarah suggested. "Borrowing books and DVDs from the local library and reading your favorite magazines at the local library," Mr. Benson replied. "Using your student account if you have one and buying generic," Mrs. Shay pointed out. "Limiting eating out and saving even more money by cooking your own meals," Carly suggested. "Drinking less since cutting back on alcohol can save money," Emily suggested. "I like using online discounters such as Living Social or Groupon," I pointed out. Then, we did an activity on budgeting, where we first guessed how much rent would cost for living in certain areas, such as Oakland, Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Highland Park, Polish Hill, and Regent Square. "It cost a lot of money for me to get my hair curled at the local salon," Sarah told me, "and for me to French braid your hair and paint your nails. It cost me almost the same as my manicure and pedicure." "I remember," I agreed. "But, it was still fun, though!" "I had to save money for going to a certain summer camp when I was 15," Carly pointed out. We budgeted amounts for our areas, including rent, utilities, our cellphones and the phone, the Internet and TV, groceries, dining out, toiletries, transportation, entertainment, and other things, like Sarah's new hairstyle, Sarah's manicure and pedicure, and Carly's summer camp. We were going over our budgets to see if our salary was enough, thinking of additional ways to earn income, like helping out at an event, doing our neighbors' yard work, pet sitting and walking animals, and having a yard sale, thinking of things we like to buy that are non-essential items, like games and magazines, and how much we could save by not buying the items, and thinking of other ways to reduce costs, such as getting a roommate, riding a bike or taking the bus, waiting to purchase large items, using the library or coffee shop instead of purchasing the Internet, and shopping at the thrift store. Pretty soon, it was time for me and Emily to leave. "Thanks for a great day, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: One Final Review

The second Saturday in December 2017 was cold when I met up with my childhood friends Sarah, James, and Henri at their apartment in Oakland for breakfast, along with my other best friend, Carly Shay and her parents, Sam and Freddie. "Hi, guys!" I greeted my friends. "Hi, Angel!" Sarah greeted back. "How would you like to learn how to make those waffles we made back in September?" James asked. "That would be great," Henri agreed. "I can finally learn how to make them. Can Mr. Benson make them, too?" "Of course, Henri," Mr. Benson agreed. "Sarah, can you show me how to make the fruit salad?" Carly asked. "Of course, Carly," Sarah replied. "Since you have the hard-boiled eggs to cook, James, can you teach me how to cook the center-cut bacon?" Mrs. Shay asked. "Absolutely, Mrs. Shay," James replied. "Wait a minute, what will I do?" I asked everyone. "You can just serve us some milk and yogurt, Angel," Sarah told me. "Okay then," I replied. "I will do that." Before I poured the milk and served the yogurt, I supervised everybody cooking: Henri making whole-wheat waffles and Mr. Benson making white waffles, James cooking hard-boiled eggs and Mrs. Shay cooking center-cut bacon, and Sarah chopping apples, bananas, and grapes, and Carly chopping strawberries, cherries, and watermelon. "We have talked about so many of my childhood memories regarding health and wellness this fall that I want to mention one more," Sarah told us. "What is that, Sarah?" I asked. "How important it is to save and recycle the Earth," Sarah pointed out. "It is also another one of the reasons why I like fruits and vegetables so much." "That's a good point, Sarah," I agreed. "Can you believe that I got a D on my Earth Day project?" Sarah agreed. "You got a D?" Carly asked. "I thought that you were a high honors student." "Well, I used all different types of health to realize the potential for my Earth Day project: physical, mental, social, emotional, environmental, intellectual, spiritual, occupational, and financial," Sarah explained to us. "Not to mention, I got awarded Freeport High School Salutatorian my senior year of high school!" "Who got Valedictorian?" I asked. "This student named Deborah Samson," Sarah explained. "Oh right," Carly remembered. "The lady who works at Frick Park?" "She actually works at Frick and Schenley Park now, too," Sarah continued. "So, Schenley Park is west of Squirrel Hill, and Frick Park is east?" Carly asked. "You're right, Carly," I agreed. I clapped my hands together. "Let's all sit down and eat breakfast while playing this great Review Game based on Jeopardy," I announced. The categories were Dimensions of Wellness, Examples of Wellness, Emotional Health Topics, Who to Go to For Help, Eating Habits: This or That, and Social Health Topics. Sarah was Team Broccoli, James was Team Banana, Henri was Team Lemon, Carly was Team Strawberry, Mrs. Shay was Team Tomato, and Mr. Benson was Team Onion. Sarah ended up winning the game, and James was in second place. "Wow, Sarah," Carly remarked. "No wonder you got awarded High School Salutatorian!" "Even with the Earth Day hiccup," I reminded my best friend. "Do you girls want to play Scrabble?" Sarah asked me and Carly. "Sure," I replied. "We love that game," Carly agreed. Carly and her parents also brought some more snacks for us to enjoy: Oatmeal Creme Pies, pretzels, carrot sticks, chocolate chip cookies, and veggie straws. While Sarah, Carly, and I played Scrabble, James, Henri, Sam, and Freddie were getting ready to play one of James's favorite games, Marvel Pictorial. "This morning of board games is great," Carly told us, "but I still wish we had some pizza and ice cream like we had when I was meeting Angel up at Edinboro University." "I don't think we can have all those kinds of food right now," Sarah explained. "Especially since we all had a big breakfast." "I'm really gonna miss you, James, and Henri when you go on vacation to Gettysburg," I told my best friend. "You're going to Gettysburg?" Carly asked. "When are you leaving?" "Next Friday, and we don't come back until after the new year," Sarah explained. "I'm going to miss you, too," Carly admitted. "I know, sometimes I get jealous of you and we do fight a lot, as most friends do, but the truth is, I look up to you." "Really?" Sarah asked. "Uh-huh," Carly replied. "You are just like a big sister to me." "Well, that's a compliment, Carly," Sarah remarked. "Don't worry, Sarah," I reassured my friend. "The fun's not over yet. We still have Alex's Christmas party at the Stephen Foster Community Center in Lawrenceville tomorrow." "Didn't she also say something about taking us out for dinner in Edgewood?" Sarah asked. "Yes, she did," I reminded her. "I can't come because my neighbors in Squirrel Hill are having a Christmas party," Carly pointed out. "Okay," Sarah remarked. "Well, have fun!" "Alex got Valedictorian, too," I remembered. "How does that make you feel?" "I don't know, like I am kind of left out, because Sarah and Alex got valedictorian and salutatorian, and I didn't," Carly admitted. "I actually like being friends with a Valedictorian and Salutatorian," I pointed out. "They can be role models that one can look up to." "Since I am an only child with no siblings, I actually feel like Sarah is an older sister to me," Carly told us, "even though she is just 4 years older than me." "Actually, 5 years since Sarah just turned 28 years old," I corrected. "Thank you for teaching me all about health, Sarah," I thanked my friend. "Yeah, thanks, Sarah," Carly agreed. Carly, Sarah, and I then hugged. Going back to our game of Scrabble, Sarah ended up winning the game, as always. Carly got 2nd place, and I got 3rd place. "Good game, Sarah," I congratulated. Pretty soon, it was time for me to head back to Mom's apartment. "Thanks for a great morning, everyone!" I thanked my friends. "You're welcome, Angel," Sarah replied. "Bye, guys!" "Bye!"


End file.
